The present invention pertains to a device for horizontal resetting to center for a central buffer coupling arranged pivotably by means of a coupling shaft on a rail-borne vehicle with a guide, which follows the pivoting movement of the coupling shaft around its vertical pivot axis, with pressing surfaces provided symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the coupling shaft, and with a pressing means supported on an articulated housing for the coupling shaft and bring about the horizontal resetting to center, wherein one part of the pressing means acts permanently or can be switched off depending on the pivot angle or can be actuated by a pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically operated actuating means associated with each part of the pressing means.
Such devices for resetting to center are known, e.g., from U.S. Pat. No. 3,926,317DE 18 10 593 B2, DE 24 19 184 A1, DE 28 22 104 A1 or U.S. Pat. No. 4,013,175 DE 24 45 460 A1.
DE 18 10 593 B2 shows a device for horizontal resetting to center for a central buffer coupling arranged pivotably by means of a coupling shaft on a rail-borne vehicle with a guide following the pivoting movement of the coupling shaft around its vertical pivot axis. Oblique pressing surfaces are arranged at the guides symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the coupling shaft. Spring-loaded pressing means, which are supported on the housing for the coupling shaft and bring about horizontal resetting to center, have a resetting spring, a pressure transmitting member, which is acted on by the resetting spring, cooperates with the pressing surfaces and carries a roller, as well as a stop member limiting the movement of the pressure transmitting member, wherein a pressing means is associated with each pressing surface.
DE 24 19 184 A1 discloses another device for horizontal resetting to center of a central buffer coupling for rail-borne vehicles, in which a compression spring, which is in contact with a sliding block each guided in a housing, is arranged symmetrically on both sides of the coupling axis. Via an associated support roller with vertical axis, the sliding blocks are pressed by the force of the pretensioned compression springs against a guide that follows the horizontal pivoting movement of the coupling shaft around the vertical pivot axis of the central buffer coupling. The support rollers form a pair of support rollers each, which is mounted in the guide symmetrically on both sides of the coupling axis, and whose two support rollers have different distances from the coupling axis, wherein the axes of the support rollers are located on a circle that is concentric to the vertical pivot axis of the central buffer coupling. In the middle position of the central buffer coupling, the support rollers of each pair of support rollers are in contact with a sliding surface each of the sliding block, which has an approximately triangular top view, wherein a guide shaft, which passes through the housing and is guided in same, is arranged at each sliding block. The centering device acts during normal operation, i.e., even during travel in curves or over switches, so that the sliding surfaces of the sliding blocks, which are pressed by the compression springs against the support rollers, are subject to a relatively great wear due to the pivoting movement of the central buffer coupling. Coupling in a curve is possible only with difficulty only or not at all, because the resetting forces of the compression springs counteract the pivoting out of the central buffer couplings to be coupled, which is brought about manually.
However, DE 28 22 104 A1 discloses a means that eliminates the drawbacks of the above-mentioned device by the resetting to center being able to be switched off and if a resetting to center is not necessary or not desired, it is switched off. To achieve this, a two-armed pivoted lever each is articulated to the guide shafts of the sliding blocks, and one lever arm of the pivoted lever is directly or indirectly connected to a lifting cylinder, and the other lever arm of the pivoted lever is supported by the housing, and by pivoting the pivoted levers by means of actuated or remote-controllable lifting cylinders against the force of the compression springs, the sliding blocks can be brought into a position in which the support rollers have no contact with the sliding blocks during a horizontal pivoting movement of the coupling shaft and the coupling shaft can be consequently freely pivoted, not loaded by the compression spring.
DE 24 45 460 A1 discloses a device for the controllable resetting to center of central buffer couplings, in which a cam functionally connected to the drawbar extends between two stops, which are arranged displaceably by pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically acting actuating means in the horizontal path of the cam, wherein the full horizontal lateral deflection of the drawbar is available in one end position of the stops, whereas the cam is clamped between the stops and the drawbar is consequently fixed in the middle position in the other end position of the cams. It is achieved with this means that the drawbar remains fixed and extensively free from vibrations in the middle position during travel, but, on the other hand, this blocking of the middle position is not obtained at the expense of the application of excessive deflecting forces during normal operation.
DE 43 28 811 C1 discloses a central buffer coupling with horizontally pivotable, front-side coupling shaft, which carries the coupling head and can be pivoted together with same manually behind the front side of the rail-borne vehicle and locked after loosening a fixing means when not in use.
Furthermore, DE 195 26 504 C1 discloses a central buffer coupling for rail-borne vehicles, which has a rear articulated arm articulated to and supported on the vehicle as well as a front articulated arm articulated thereto via a center-pivot hinge with a vertical hinge pin, which front articulated arm carries the coupling head. A locking part connected to the articulated arms is designed as a rotatably mounted locking bolt, which is connected kinematically to a drive supported on the rear articulated arm. The drive has a drive element freely movable between stops for pivoting the front articulated arm. The front articulated arm can thus be pivoted in and out with the coupling head by a motor and can be brought behind the front-side limitation of the vehicle when not in use to reduce the hazard potential.
The basic object of the present invention is to improve a device for horizontal resetting to center of the type described in the introduction such that coupling in curves is facilitated or made possible in the first place.
According to the invention, a device is provided for horizontal resetting to center for a central buffer coupling arranged pivotably using a coupling shaft on a rail-borne vehicle. A guide is provided that follows the pivoting movement of the coupling shaft around its vertical pivot axis. Pressing surfaces are provided symmetrically to the longitudinal axis of the coupling shaft. A pressing means is provided with parts supported on an articulated housing for the coupling shaft. The pressing parts bring about the horizontal resetting to center. One of the pressing parts acts permanently or can be switched off depending on the pivot angle or can be actuated by a pneumatically, hydraulically or electrically operated actuating means associated with each pressing part of the pressing means. The actuating means is designed as a remote-controllable adjusting drive. The guide and consequently the coupling shaft, that is in functional connection therewith, can be positioned via the device for resetting to center or into any position of the intended horizontal range of pivoting of the coupling shaft in the flow of forces by means of the adjusting drive.
The state of the art is improved by the features of the invention especially by the fact that it is now possible to make automated coupling possible in tight curves. Even though prior-art devices are able to make possible in an automated or remote-controlled manner the resetting to center or fixation of the drawbar in the middle position or even switching off and consequently a load-free, manual pivoting of the coupling shaft, the use of personnel continues to be necessary for highly risky operations in the area of the coupling. However, automated or remote-controlled, accurate positioning of the drawbar and consequently of the coupling head according to the situation needs into any angular position of the intended horizontal range of pivoting in curves, especially in tight curves, is not possible with the prior-art devices for resetting to center. A freely selectable positioning of the coupling shaft via the pressing elements of the device for resetting to center is likewise not provided for in the prior-art devices.
The various features of novelty which characterize the invention are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure. For a better understanding of the invention, its operating advantages and specific objects attained by its uses, reference is made to the accompanying drawings and descriptive matter in which preferred embodiments of the invention are illustrated.